Glass shaping machine



Aug. 18, 1931.

I E H. LORENZ GLASS SHAPING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 w W x z! z n e 00 7 2 m w z 0% Aug- 1 1931- E. H. LORENZ 1,819,903

GLASS SHAPING MACHINE Original Filed g- 8. 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 18, 1931. E. H. LORENZ GLASS SHAPING MACHINE Original Filed Aug. 8, 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 mam.-

It'll IIIIII 8, 1931. E. H LORENZ 1,819,903

GLASS SHAPING MACHINE Original Filed Aug. 8, 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 lnvew/Zb Edward 1713 079%2 inversion in either inverted or reverted posi- Patented Aug. 1 8, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDWARD E. LORENZ, OF WEST HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO HARTFORD-EMPIRE COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A COR- PORATION OF DELAWARE GLASS SHAPING MACHINE Original application filed August 8, 1921, Serial No. 490,567. Divided and this application filed May 16, 1928. Serial No. 278,296.

mechanism for use in conjunction with automatic bottle forming machines, specifically of the narrow-neck type, for inverting the molds during the. operation of the machine and for retaining them against accidental tion. This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 490,567, filed August 8, 1921.

Among the objects of this invention are to provide a mechanism associated with-a turret type bottle forming machine for inverting and reverting the molds used therein and for locking the molds in either inverted positi'on, so that the several operations of forming the ware may be performed at the proper sitions.

A further object of the invention is to provide automatic locking means of a. type which will be effective to retain the molds locked against accidental inversion whenever such action is not desired and which will automatically release the molds at the proper time and place to permit the controlled inversion by the inverting means of the machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide means of the above described character which will be effective during the continuous operation of such a machine and which will be positive in their action and not likely to get out of order, so as to necessitate a shutdown of the machine as a whole for repairs.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from a reading of the following specification and subjoined claims when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures 1 to 8 inclusive are diagrammatic views illustrating the principal steps in the formation of a bottle by the machine of the present invention;

Fig/9 is a .plan View of the lower part times and with the molds in the proper poof a machine with parts in section.

Fig. 10 is a partial plan of the mold carry ing turret, certain. parts being shown in section and others broken away to show the parts below;

Fig. 11 is a detail view projected from Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a detail similar to Fig. 10, but showing only the mechanism for reverting the molds;

Fig. 13 is a vertical section of one of the mold carrying heads; and

Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic development of a part of the turret showing particulalry the 1 means for inverting the molds and locking them to prevent accidental inversion, the view being in elevation looking toward the center of the machine. Z

General 0pemtz'0n.The machine is provided with a series of pairs of molds, each pair comprising a parison mold and a blow mold arranged side by side on a rotatable head, with their neck portions extending in opposite directions. The head is mounted to rotate on a horizontal axis extending radially of a rotatable carrier, hereinafter called a turret, and the turret is intermittently rotated about a vertical axis, so as to present the pairs of molds successively to a series of operating stations where various'steps, indicated in Figs. '1 to 8, are performed in the shaping of the ware, although certain operations are or may be performed while the molds are moving from one station to the next; invention, there are six pairs of molds and six operating stations, the latter being indicated by letters A, B, C, D, E and F.

Figs. 1 to 8 illustratediagrammatically the several steps in the production of the bottle. Fig. 1. illustrates the first operations which take place when a pair of molds are at the mold charging station A, at which a mold charge 51 is delivered to the parison mold, of which the bottom end, having a larger opening for receiving the charge, is preferably uppermost. The blow mold has the neck end up and contains a previously formed bottle 52. The neck end of the parison mold is closed by a neck ring 96 and plunger 214:. The settle blow operation, also performed at station A, is shown in Fig. 2 where a blow head 168 has moved over the mold and com- In the illustrated embodiment of the pressed air is admitted therethrough, forcing the glass downward in the mold, and settling it compactly in the neck ring and around the plunger, to shape the top or finish of the bottle.

The turret is then rotated through a sufiicient angle to present this pair of molds at the counterblow station B. During this movement the molds are inverted, so that they arrive with the neck end of the parison mold up and the neck end of the blow mold down, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. A parison bottom plate 245 moves up to close the bottom of the parison mold, a blow head 266 4) moves into contact with the neck ring, and compressed air is admitted causing the glass to expand and fit the mold and complete the parison 53. This is known as the counterblow.

The pair of molds now moves to the transfer station C where the-parison is transferred from the parison mold to the blow mold, (Figs. 5, 6 and 7). The neck ring 96 has been opened during its travel to station C, and the projecting neck of the bottle is engaged by jaws 267 (Fig. 5), forming a part of the transfer tongs. Both molds are now opened leaving the parison suspended by the jaws 267 (Fig. 6), and releasing the previously finished bottle 52 from the blow mold. The

this operation to stop the molds at fixed stations, as is done for certain other operations. It is one of the features of the invention to arrange the finish blow mechanism so that the blow may be begun at any desired time after the molds reach station D and may be continued for any desired time throughout the range of three stations, D, E and F, called blow stations- This allows the parison to elongate and its chilled skin to reheat before blowing as desired, and gives some control over the setting of the bottle in its final form. These factors should be adjusted tosuit the requirements of different sizes ortypes of ware. The molds move to the first blow station D and the blow head 266 moves into communication with the neck of the parison. At any desired time thereafter, air is admitted through the blow head, expanding the parison to the form of the finished bottle-52, as shown in Fig. 8.

At stations D, E and F and during the not be acting all the time. After leaving sta- 'tion F, the cycle of the machine is completed, the empty parison mold being now in positionto receive another charge and a finished bottle being carried by the finishing mold.

MOZds.One of the features of the invention resides in the construction of the molds, the mold carriers and the associated parts of the mold heads. The mold carriers resemble doubleended tongs, their arms crossing each other like the letter X, so that each blow mold half is on'the same arm as the diagonally opposite half of its associated parison mold. The mold halves are attached to the mold carriers in such a manner as to be easily removable, and to permit free expansion of each half when it becomes heated, without distorting the mold and thereby producing defective ware. One half of each mold is also adjustably secured to the carrier, so as to permit the perfect matching ofthe two halves when in closed position.

The parison mold comprises two. similar halves 61 and 62 (Figs. 10 and 13), provided with cavities having the form of the desired parison. The mold half 61 is suitably attached to a carrier 63 which is bored to receive a stud 65 about which it is adapted to swing, and it is extended on the opposite side of the stud to provide a somewhat similar arm to which the diagonally opposite half 66,

of the blow mold is attached. The other half 62 of the parison mold is mounted on a carrier generally similar to the carrier 63, but is made in two parts having a rigid but adjustable oonnection for ad usting the parison mold half 62 with respect to the blow mold half 70, so that both molds will close tightly to avoid the formation of fins on either the parison or the finished b'ottle. For this purpose, the carrier for the part 61 of the parison mold, comprises two arms 67 and 68 (Figs. 10 and 13), both pivotally mounted on the stud 65 and rigidly but adjustably secured together so as to move in unison. The half 70 of the blow mold is mounted on the arm 68 of this carrier. The adjustable connection between the arms 67 and 68comprises a finger 72 projecting from the hub of the arm 68, which carries a hollow stop screw 73, the head of which bears against a lug on.-the carrier 67. By turning this screw the relative angular position of the diagonally opposite mold halves 62 and 70 maybe adjusted. The two arms are locked in adjusted position by a screw 74 which passes thorugh the hollow screw 7 3 and is threaded into the lug on the arm 67.

In order to facilitate the. assembling and handling of the mold carriers when they are detached from the machine, they are not mounted directly on the stud 65, but are tively pivotally connected, one with the mold I carrier 63 and the outer with the arm 68 of the carrier 6768. The other ends of the links are both connected with a rod 71 (Fig. 13) which is reciprocated by a suitable piston- ,cylinderdevice to open and close the molds, this device comprising a piston 385 secured to the rod 71 and adapted to be moved radially of the turret by pneumatic pressure in a cylinder or drum 84.

The means for supplying air to the cylinder or drum 84 for the purpose of moving the piston 385 therein to open or close the molds, are shown and described in my copending application above referred to and will not be discussed here further, as they have no bearing upon the specific subject matter of this di- VlSlOn.

In order that the mold carrying head may be rotated in inverted position of the molds, the stud of the mold carriers is mounted in the end of a fork 83 formed integral with the cylinder or drum 84, which is mounted radially in a suitable bearing in the main turret 85 (Fig. 13). This cylinder is arranged to be rotated about its horizontal axis in the turret by mechanism hereinafter described.

The neck ring halves 96 are mounted on suitable carriers which are in turn pivotally mounted on the stud 65 and are provided with suitable means for opening and closing. Suitable means are provided for settle-blowing, counterblowing and iinish-blowing the ware. Suitable means are also provided for imparting to the turret an intermittent rotation and for stopping the operation of this and the other operated parts of the device'in the event of certain irregular or improper operations of certain parts of the machine. All of this detail is fully disclosed in my prior application above referred to, and claimed either therein or in other divisions thereof.

M old im e'r't mechanisms-The molds are arranged to be inverted during their travel from station A to B and again during their dwell at station C, by half rotations of the mold carrying head and the cylinder 84 in the turret 8,5.

In order that the expansion of the cylinder or drum 84 from the heat of the molds may'not cause it to bind in the bore or bearing of the turret, the external diameter of to the fork 83 of the mold carrying head and the exterior of the cylindrical portion of the turret 85. This bearing may comprise antifriction rollers 404 (Fig. 13) rolling in a race-way formed by two hardened concentric rings, the inner ring being mounted on the outside of the cylindrical portion of the turret and the outer ring being fixed to the annular bevel gear 405, or otherwise fixed to the mold carrying head. An inner bearing for the mold carrying head is formed by the hub of the cylinder head 386, journaled in the spider 392, which is fastened to the turret and revolves with it about column 384. In this way the outer bearing of the mold head, which is nearest the molds and re- 5 ceives the most heat therefrom, will by this construction-expand the external ring as 'much' as, if not more than the interior ring.

rotation, during each rotation of the turret to the position shown in Figs. 1 to 8. This rotation of the mold heads is divided into two steps each of 180 degrees, and these steps are herein, for convenience of expression, referred to as the inversion and reversion, respectively. I

The inversion takes place while the mold head is moving from station A to station B (Figs. 2, 3, 10 and 14), and that movement is utilized for effecting the inversion, the gear 405 being brought into engagement with a stationary toothed rack or segment 406, which, as the gears 405 travel in a circular path, is curved to conform to an arc of that path. This rack is mounted on the lower edge of the fixed cylinder 352, which in turn is mounted on the stationary column 384 supporting the turret structure 85.

As shown in Fig. 14, the effective length of the rack 406 is less than the distance between the centers of the stations A and B, so that the teeth at the ends of the rack do not fully mesh with the teeth of adjacent gears 405 when the latter are at stations A .and 13. It is also to be noted that the initial tooth 406 of rack 406 (Fig. 14) is shorter in its extent outward from its root than are the other teeth of the rack. This is for the purpose of per mitting' the gear 405 to approach station A in the ordinarymovement of the turret in the position shown in Fig. 14, whereby a tooth situated as at 405 will not engage with the tooth 406' during the passage of its gear 405 to station A, but will pass under tooth 406 to engage with the next tooth of the rack 400, thus insuring the immediate starting of the inverting movement as the mold leaves station A by the engagement of at lease two teeth between the gear 405 and the rack 406. The termination of rack 406 short of station A and B is to allow the successive gears to be moved into their locking position at station A and away from their locking position at station B, without interference from the rack 406. In this connection, advantage is taken of the unbalanced condition of the mold heads, due to the fact that the blow molds are usually heavier than the parison molds. When the successive gears are at,

station A, the heavier blow mold is on the left-hand side as viewed in Figs. 2 and 14, thus prevei'iting the mold head from turning in a clockwise direction, when freed from the locking bolt 429. Thus this unbalanced condition of the mold head holds the gear 405 into contact with the teeth at the right-hand end of the rack 406 in properposition for beginning the inverting movement as the gear 405 moves to the left from station A. Upon arriving at station B, the resultant in version of the molds brings the heavier blow mold to the right-hand side; and the resultant tendency of the mold head to turn in a clockwise direction enables it to complete its turning movement to its locking position after passing the left-hand tooth of the rack 406. That tooth, however, prevents the gear from turning past its locking position without interfering with the next advancing movement of the gear 405 toward station C.

The second half revolution of the mold head, herein termed the reversion, preferably takes place while the molds are at the transfer station C. Since the turret is thenstationary. the reversion cannot be effected by a stationary rack, as in the ease of the inversion above described. Therefore, a movable rack 407 is employed for efi'ecting the reversiou. That rack is attached by screws403 to a carrier 408 mounted to swing about the central column 384 (Figs. 10 and 12) The carrier is oscillated by a link 409 connecting it with the arm 410 of a cam lever mounted on a stud 411 fixed in the stationary drum 352. The other arm 417 of this lever is offset, so as to lie in a plane above the horizontal web 364 (Fig. 11) of this stationary drum, and carries a roll 412 engaging a cam path 413 (Figs. 11 and 12, the latter in dot ed lines) formed in a disc 414 mounted to rotate with the central continuously rotating shaft 366 timed to rotate one complete revolution for each of the intermittent steps of rotation of the turret, (Fig. 11), and thus'makes six complete revolutions during one complete revolution of the turret. By properly shaping the cam path 413, the carrier 408 and rack 407 are. turned counter-clockwise in Figs. 10 and 12, during the dwell of each pair of molds at the transfer station C to revert the molds. For the purpose of taking the upward thrust of the rack 407, the carrier 408 is provided with rolls 415 which bear against a stationary disc 416 carried on the central column 384 (Figs. 10 and 13).

' During the reversion of the molds at station C, their tendency is to overrun by their acquired momentum. The unbalanced condition of the mold head, which as above described was advantageous for the inverting operation, is not favorable for the reverting operation, since that condition is reversed at station C. The heavier blow mold is on the right-hand side before the reversion, and on v the left-hand side after the reversion, thus tending to turn the top of the gear 405 away from the rack 407 in each of these positions whenever the mold head is not held by the locking bolt 429. For this reason, the effective length of the rack 407 is made greater than the rack 406, this additional. length being obtained b means of movable auxiliary teeth 421 an 422 at the ends of the rack 407. These teeth are in the form of swinging pawls, the shanks 423 of which are pivotally mounted in the rack 407 and held yieldingly upward by springs 424 (Fig. 14) The teeth are arranged to be swung down so as to form extensions to the rack 407 by means of a fixed cam plate 425 on the stationary cylinder 352. Thus as either end of the rack approaches this station, the tooth 421 or 422 is moved down into engagement with the gear 405, thus enabling the rack to control the gear and the mold head throughout the time that the mold head is released by the locking bolt 429 for the reverting operation.

The gear shown at station C (Fig. 14) has just arrived'there and the locking bolt has released the molds for inversion. The gear is not yet in mesh with rack 407, but is held from any accidental displacement prior to the movement of the rack into mesh therewith, by the auxiliary tooth 422 which, being under the cam plate 425, is held in engagement with the gear. The rack 407 next moves to the right under the action of the.

cam path 413. The initial turning movement of the gear is produced by the tooth 422 and. the abutting relation of the first teeth of the rack. As soon as the tooth 422 has moved from under the cam plate 425, the spring 424 raises the tooth as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 14, at 419, so that it will not collide with the gear then at station B. As the rack 407 approaches the end of its stroke, the auxiliary tooth 421 is moved by the cam plate 425 down into position to engage the gear at station C, which prevents the gear from over-running and when the rack stops, holds the gear in position until the locking bolt is applied. The cam roll 412, after the completion of the reversion passes out of control of the cam path 413, as hereafter described, and its next movement is effected by the return of its engagement with the gears 405, is carried forward as the turret advances themolds to the next station. As the rack approaches the end of its return stroke, the auxiliary tooth 422, which has been held in elevated position, will be lowered by the cam plate 425 to engage the gear approaching station C, an auxiliary tooth 421 will be raised clear of the gear leaving station G, the parts coming to rest in the full line position of the drawings (Fig. 14) ready to repeat their cycle.

To insurecomplete reversion of the molds in spite of inaccuracies which may exist in the indvidual mold heads and their reverting mechanism, the lever arm 410 is moved somewhat farther than exactness would require, and to provide for taking up this excess motion, the'link 409 is made in two telescopic parts held in extended relation by a spring 418 (Fig. 10) This spring yields to any excess of movement of the lever after the molds are fully reverted and locked in reverted position. The movable rack 407 has a working stroke to the right in Fig. 14 into the position indicated by dotted lines at 419, this movement being derived from the cam 413 as has been described. The return or idle stroke of the rack is caused by the next advance of the turret due to the engagement of the rack with the locked gears 405, and independently of the cam 413. During this return stroke, the cam roll 412 passes into a widened path 420 (Figs. 10 and 12) and thus out of control of the cam 413, after the workin f stroke is completed, thus leaving the rack 40 free to be returned on its idle stroke by the next movement-of the turret, transmitted to the rack by the bevel gears 405 then engaging the tooth 421 pivoted to the rack. The wider cam path 420, although not guiding the roll 412, conforms approximately to the path of the roll, narrowing again to engage the (IiOll in time to revert the succeeding mold hea To lockthe mold heads in inverted and reverted positions the hub of each gear 405 is provided with diametrically opposite sockets 428 (Figs. 10, 13 and 14) to receive the tapered end of a lock bolt or plunger 429 here shown as movable vertically in a guiding sleeve in the turret 85. The lower end of each bolt is engaged by one end of a lever 430 pivotally mounted on cars formed on the tur ret. The other end of the lever is urged downwardly to hold the bolts in locking posi- -tion, by a spring pressed plunger 431. The

lever carries a roll 432 which is lifted to withdraw the bolt from locking position durtinuously rotating shaft 376. This lifts the track into substantially horizontal position,

'withdrawingthe bolt 429 from looking position while at station A and holding it there until the roll runs off the track just before the molds arrive at station B. As the molds arrive at station B their inversion is completed and the lock bolt enters its socket.

When the molds come to rest at station C, the roll 432 is positioned over a plunger 440 mounted to slide in a part of the bearing 396 (Figs. 13 and 14). The plunger is reciprocated by a cam 441, mounted on the shaft 376, which acts upon a roll carried by a lever 442 upon which the plunger rests. The cam 441 is shaped to withdraw the bolt 429 before reversion of the molds at station C, and to permit it to resume locking position after the reversion. in case the plunger should by chance be in elevated position as one of the levers 430 approaches it, the levers are provided with wedge shaped ends 443 which will engage the plunger 440 in advance of the roll and move one of the parts so as to prevent the roll from striking the side of the plunger.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided positive means for inverting the molds during the travel from one station to the next, and later for reverting them while at a dwell at a further station. I have also provided a positive locking means which will hold the molds against accidental inversion and means for moving this locking means to and from locking position at the proper time.

While I have shown and described but one embodiment of myv invention, it is obvious that many modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims, which are to be construed as broadly as the state of the prior art permits.

1. .In a machine having an invertible mold for shaping molten glass, the combination of a gear connected with the mold, a movable toothed rack mounted for periodic cooperation with said-gear, means for relatively moving the gear and the rack to invert the mold, and means rendered operative by movement of said rack to a predetermined position for preventing the inversion of the mold while the gear is out of mesh with said rack;

- 2. In a glass shaping machine, the combination with a rotatable turret, of a mold rot'atably mounted thereon, a gear connected with the mold, a cooperating gear rack, a

In order to prevent breakage nation with an intermittently rotated turret,

of a plurality of molds carried by the turret,

a gear conn'ected'with each mold, a toothed rack located in the path of the gears as the turret moves, means for relatively moving the gears and the rack to invert the molds, an auxiliary tooth on each end of the rack and movable relatively to the rack into and out of cooperative relation with the gears.

5. In a machine having an invertible mold for shaping molten glass, the combination of a gear connected with the mold, a cooperative toothed rack, means for moving the rack to invert the mold, an auxiliary tooth carried by the rack, and meansfor moving the tooth relatively to the rack and into engagement with the gear. a

6. In a glass shaping'machine, the combination with an intermittently rotated turret, of a plurality of molds carried by the turret, a gear connected with each mold, a toothed rack located in the path of the gears as the turret moves, means for moving the gears into operative position relative to said rack, means for moving the rack to invert the molds, an auxiliary tooth on each end of the rack and movable relatively to the rack into and out of cooperative relation with the gears. 7. A glassware forming machine mold. a

rotatable support for the mold, a carrier for mold carried by each drum, each drum being provided witha seat, spring thrown plungers carried by said turret and movable therewith respectively for engaging each seat, and a movable cam independent of and beneath said turret and effective at a predetermined place in the turret rotation for successively withdrawing each plunger from its seat and retaining it in an inoperative position during the inversion of 531d drum and said mold,

said cam bclng efiectlve successively to withdrawsaid plungers from their seats irrespec tive of whether the turret be moving or stationary.

9. In a glassware forming machine, a rotatable turret, a mold carrying drum mounted in said turret and extending outwardly therefrom, said drum being rotatably mounted to permit inversion of said mold, and a bearing'between said drum and said turret comprising an outer bearing member rigid with said drum and an inner bearing member rigid with said turret, whereby expansion of said outer bearing member due to heat from said mold will not cause the binding of said bearing members.

,Si ned at Hartford, Conn., this 14th day of EDWARD H. LORENZ. 

